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"Shh, it's alright, it's going to be ok. I'm here."
Vi stroked Caitlyn's hair as she collapsed on the ground, wounded on the inside and the outside. As she saw that rocket hit the counselors' window, something inside her was shattered.
"Mom..." She sobbed, hoping that it all had been nothing but a bad dream or a product of the dark side of her imagination.
Vi wrapped her arms tighter around her as Jinx stared at the scene with hatred, cursing every atom on the young women's bodies.
"I think your choice is more than clear now, sister."
"Powder... this is not you. I know you're still in there. Please... please listen. I-"
"Liar! I don't want to hear it anymore. She's gone. Jinx is the monster you created, so get the name right."
The teenager took a step forward, swinging her braids as she stared down into Caitlyn's swollen eyes.
"I hope the pain of this moment never leaves you. That's for stealing my sister and making our lives miserable from the start. I'm done being betrayed. We are enemies, Piltie, and no amount of shared moments will ever change that, Vi deep down knows that as well."
Jinx smiled at the sight of Caitlyn's tears rolling down her face. What a lovely scene. Almost as good as seeing the smoke coming out of the fanciest tower in Piltover, the city that had taken everything from them.
"Goodbye, Vi, we'll see each other again."
With an exaggerated bow and a psychotic grin, Jinx disappeared between the rubble. Part of Violet was telling her to run after her, but right now there was nothing in this world that could make her leave Cait's side, not again, not when she's so hurt.
Vi picked up Caitlyn, who hugged her tightly and buried her face in the crook of the shorter's neck, crying rivers.
"I'm here. I'm not leaving. It's going to be ok."
Violet gently placed Cait against a wall in what she assessed to be a safe spot, trying to hide the tears that were rolling down her own face.
They sat in silence for what felt like an eternity, crying and mourning the loss of a mother and a sister. The silence that filled the space was deafening, only being broken by the women's sobs. Caitlyn thought about her mother; about Jayce; about all the innocent lives that had been lost; about how this was exactly what Vi had gone through when she was younger. She thought of a ten-year-old Vi, seeing her mother's dead body under the rubble of a broken city, killed by the same enforcers who swore to protect people. Yet she was there, protecting her like she hadn't gone through twice as much suffering from the hands of the people Caitlyn admired.
Caitlyn weakly reached to the side, grabbing Vi's hand tightly, still facing the ceiling with pain-filled eyes.
"Thank you..." she managed to say, still trying to make the tears stop.
"...for what?" The other whispered, trying to figure out how the taller could express anything but hatred and misery with those soft lips after all that just happened.
"For staying."
Caitlyn stared into Violet's grey eyes with a weak smile, thanking the world for not being alone in what was probably the most traumatic day of her life.
"Of course, Cupcake." Vi answered in a weak whisper, quickly catching the other in a warm embrace.
"We... we should go check on the council. Maybe there's survivors. Maybe we can help. Maybe-"
"You're still hurt, Cait. You can barely walk and there's no way you're in the right state of mind. There's tons of people that are running to the scene right now, you need to rest."
"But-"
"No buts, I'm not risking losing you again."
Vi suddenly recalled that brief moment where she wholeheartedly believed Caitlyn's head was inside the silver plate Jinx placed at the center of the table. The simple thought of something bad happening to Cait drove her insane. When did their souls become intertwined like two sides of a same coin?
Caitlyn opened her mouth, seemingly about to argue Vi's orders, but she stopped herself before any sound came out. She got herself comfortable inside Violet's embrace, letting all the tears fall until her eyes were dry and her heart was numb.
Silence reigned for what seemed like another small eternity, until Cait let out a chocked chuckle.
Vi looked at her like she was insane, wondering if all the pain she had just gone through had affected her sanity.
"What is it, Cupcake? Are you alright?"
"Yeah..." She answered, still giggling between tears. "I just find it all so ironic."
Violet looked at her in the eyes, full of concern.
"It's just..." She started, looking straight into the shorter's eyes. "Jinx said we are enemies. The enforcers, my coworkers, said you are the enemy. The council; my parents; the entirety of Piltover kept telling me you're vile; dangerous; a part of the problem... yet here you are. Hugging me and trying to make me feel better as if you haven't gone through twice as much pain as I have because of my people. What about oil and water? We are so different, our lives are so different, you said it yourself, yet here you are. Comforting me instead of running after the only family you have left, which is also my people's fault."
Vi was left speechless, looking at Caitlyn as if she was a weird creature she had never seen before. Now that she thought about it, everything was indeed pretty ironic. Hugging and protecting an enforcer? If she told Vi from a month ago she would've laughed her ass off.
"...we are different. We both lived in our very own prisons. Mine was infinitely more physically and mentally draining, but that doesn't mean I can't empathize with you. I was raised to hate the people of Piltover, while you were raised to ignore whatever was going on down here as a way to excuse your luxurious life. I know you, you're a kind soul Cait. Your passion is seeking justice and protecting others and there's nothing in this world I respect more than that. Our differences are what made us better. I've learnt so much from you. I can't put all of Piltover in a box, I can't because you don't fit any of the traits I was told to expect from your people. You've done so much. For everyone. I can't help but feel like it's my responsibility to stay by your side. The idea of you getting hurt messes me up."
Caitlyn blushed at Vi's small monologue, feeling moved by her kind words. She had to be an angel for feeling that way after everything enforcers had put her through.
"You really do have a good heart, Violet. I am glad you're here by my side in this instant. It's easier to keep my shit together if there's someone like you supporting me."
"You don't have to keep your shit together, Cait. Feel free to crumble down, I'll be here to put all the pieces back together." Vi responded, slowly caressing her back.
The taller's eyes began to water once again, slowly creating rivers that flowed through her cheeks. She allowed the aching pain to find its way out. At that instant she felt like nothing could reach her other than Vi's strong arms and the soft rhythm of her pulse.
Vi cried too. She cried because of Vander; because of her parents; because of her sad excuse of a childhood; because she just started to fully realize that she had lost her sister inside her own mental maze...
She regretted all of her past mistakes.
Oh, how she wished she could go back in time and fix everything she had done wrong. How she wished a simple yet genuine apology was enough to fix a broken heart. Life was way more complicated than that. She learnt it the hard way.
"I'm sorry." She said once her sobs slowed down.
"...for what?" Caitlyn asked, looking confused.
"For everything I said a few hours ago. I didn't mean it. I'm just so used to feeling less than everyone, I couldn't help but feel that I just simply wasn't enough for your fancy council, or your fancy family, or your fancy face... I am just another girl from the undercity that was left behind."
Cait smiled between tears, releasing herself from Vi's embrace to hold her face lovingly.
"I forgave you the second you walked away. I understand, Vi. Life has always been so unfair to you. I assure you that you deserve every good or fancy thing ever, including my face, if that's what you want."
The dark-haired girl chuckled as she spoke, stroking the other's cheek like she had done in her room just a day ago.
Violet's face softened, placing her hand over the other's and offering a soft smile.
"What else could I possibly want?"
"Many things come to mind, but I don't think I'm willing to ruin the moment."
They both chuckled, struggling to do so through the knots that remained on their throats.
"You know... for a second there I thought Jinx had placed your beheaded head inside that silver platter. That made me realize that I fear losing you more than I thought I did. What kind of spell did you cast upon me? Are you well-versed in potions too?"
"I'll answer that the second you explain to me what kind of magic you used to make me depend on you so easily."
"Must've been my sunny personality."
"Ha, surely." Caitlyn answered, grinning sarcastically.
They stared into each other's eyes. There was something in Caitlyn's expression that had changed. Vi could tell that she was a mess of emotions, but she was glad some stupid words could distract her at least a bit from the pains of reality.
Is there anything more deadly than being alive? Violet asked herself. Life was unfair, both to Piltover people and the residents of the Lanes. Losing a mother and being there to witness it... the scene was way too familiar.
"It's not going to be easy." Vi started, looking down with a concerned expression. "Loss never is, independently of what happened in that tower today. It is going to hurt like absolute shit and it will drive you insane, but I hope you at least know you won't be alone. I'm here, Cupcake, for the good things and the bad ones too."
Caitlyn just nodded, holding in her tears and bracing herself for whatever was coming next. It felt like a Schrödinger's cat kind of situation, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to open that box. Her mother... the woman she loved and resented, could either be dead or alive inside that building, and Cait couldn't decide if she wanted to know the truth or not.
Vi held Caitlyn's hand, sending a reassuring look her way.
"Whenever you're ready, love."
The taller nodded, exhaling a grunt as she swallowed the pain of standing up.
"Are you sure you'll be ok?" The pink-haired woman asked as she helped the other up, still concerned.
"Not really, not yet, but I know that if I'm with you we will figure something out. We always will."
"In that case, let's get moving. Make sure to not put too much pressure on your leg, you can rely on me."
"You're awfully reliable for an enemy of mine."
Vi chuckled, holding Caitlyn's waist from the side to help her walk.
"Let's show them. Let's show them how beautifully oil and water can mix."
The two young women walked slowly but surely between the broken walls, ready to witness hell together if it meant they could bring peace to a world full of pain.